XN000022-1992-04-30 — Page 12

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THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 1992

THE FOLLOWING BEACHES HAVE CHANGED GRADING ON THIS OCCASION:

DEEP WATER BAY, MIDDLE BAY, CAMPERS, PAK SHA CHAU AND PUI FROM "1" TO "2"; TUNG WAN ON MA WAN FROM "2" TO "3"

THE CHANGES ARE WITHIN THE NORMAL RANGE OF FLUCTUATION OF THE BACTERIOLOGICAL WATER QUALITY OF THESE BEACHES.

WHILE THE GRADING OF BEACHES SHOWS THE HEALTH RISKS SWIMMERS MIGHT FACE BECAUSE OF SEWAGE POLLUTION, SOME BEACHES MAY BE AFFECTED BY OTHER PROBLEMS AS WELL.

AT THIS TIME OF YEAR RED TIDES OFTEN OCCUR.

A RED TIDE IS A SUDDEN GROWTH OF MICROSCOPIC PLANT LIFE. RED TIDES OCCUR OFTEN AND WITH GREAT INTENSITY WHERE THERE IS ABUNDANT NUTRIENT POLLUTION FROM THE LAND AND SEWAGE SOURCES, BUT THEY ALSO NEED THE RIGHT TEMPERATURE, AMOUNT OF SUNLIGHT AND OTHER CONDITIONS.

SOME RED TIDES OCCUR IN UNPOLLUTED WATERS.

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MOST RED TIDES ARE NOT DIRECTLY HARMFUL TO SWIMMERS, ALTHOUGH THEY CAN BE VERY HARMFUL TO OTHER MARINE LIFE, ESPECIALLY IF THEY OCCUR FREQUENTLY IN A RESTRICTED AREA.

HOWEVER, AS RED TIDES CAN BE UNPLEASANT TO SWIMMERS, AND THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK THAT SOME WOULD SUFFER ALLERGIC OR OTHER ADVERSE REACTIONS TO CONTACT WITH THE RED TIDE, THE BEACH AUTHORITIES USUALLY TAKE THE PRECAUTION OF ADVISING PEOPLE NOT TO SWIM WHERE A BEACH IS AFFECTED.

THE RED FLAG HAS BEEN HOISTED FOR THIS PURPOSE AT SEVERAL BEACHES IN THE LAST FEW DAYS AND THIS MAY BE REPEATED IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.

THE RED TIDE CANNOT BE INCLUDED IN THE ROUTINE BEACH GRADING AS IT IS TRANSIENT.

IN ADDITION TO THE ROUTINE MONITORING OF BEACH WATER QUALITY, THE EPD IN COLLABORATION WITH THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY (DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AND FAMILY MEDICINE AND DEPARTMENT OF MICROBIOLOGY) WILL CONDUCT AN EPIDEMIOLOGICAL-MICROBIOLOGICAL STUDY AT REPULSE BAY BEACH AND BUTTERFLY BEACH STARTING JUNE THIS YEAR.

THE STUDY AIMS TO IDENTIFY AND QUANTIFY THE PATHOGENS THAT MIGHT CAUSE DISEASES AMONG BATHERS SWIMMING IN POLLUTED BEACH WATER, SO THAT APPROPRIATE STANDARD CAN BE USED AND EFFECTIVE POLLUTION CONTROL MEASURES CAN BE DEVISED.

NOTE TO EDITORS:

ENQUIRIES, PLEASE CONTACT MR PAUL OFFICER (WATER POLICY)

HOLMES, OF EPD,

FOR FURTHER

PRINCIPAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ON TEL. 835 1234.

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